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Nephtyidae
Natural History
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Nephtyidae occur widely in soft sediment communities
from shallow sands and estuaries to shelf and slope habitats. They may be very abundant. They are strongly muscular, active polychaetes that are able to burrow and swim rapidly. Nephtyids are apparently all predators and are known to consume a variety of small benthic invertebrates including other polychaetes, oligochaetes, crustaceans and molluscs (Wilson, 2000).
Diversity
The Nephtyidae includes five genera, four of which occur in
Australian waters (the fifth genus, Dentinephtys, is known from a single
species from Japan and California). The Australian fauna
comprises 18 species, of which 12 or 13 are endemic (Rainer
& Kaly 1988). All five genera and all Australian species
can be identified with the interactive key.
Taxonomic studies of
Australian nephtyids (in particular Rainer & Hutchings, 1977;
Rainer & Kaly, 1988) have included material from a variety of
soft-sediment habitats in both temperate and tropical
Australia. Thus, the Australian nephtyid fauna is well studied
compared to most other polychaete families and the interactive key
may be closer to comprehensively documenting the shallow water Australian fauna than for most other polychaete families.
Nevertheless, taxonomic problems remain at the genus level,
and as discussed by Rainer & Kaly (1988) the assignment of some
species to the genera Aglaophamus and Nephtys is
uncertain. Although a review of generic diagnoses may be
required, this should not impede the accurate discrimination of
Australian species.
Description | Identification
tips | Natural History | Diversity
| Checklist | References
| Interactive Key
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